Machine for homogenizing milk.



F.`P. GRIBBINS. MACHINE FOR HOMOGENIZING MILK. i APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19, 1910. 996,704. f Patented Jully 4, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

,B/anys 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 4, 1911.

, F. P. GRIBBINS.

'MACHINE POR HOMOGENIZING MILK.

APPLIoATIoN PILEDSBPT. 19, 1910.

4 O n 6 Ou 9 Witnesses P. P. CRIBBINS. MACHINEFOR HOMOGENIZING MILK. APPLIOATION FILED sEPT.19, 1910.

Patented July 4; 1911.

3 BHEBTS-SEEET 3.

- gA'yb "ii-man sans narnia* onirica.

rimini: i. Cninins, or DERBY," CONNECTICUT'.

MACHINE FOR EOMOGENIZING MILK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a, 1911.

Application nl ed September 19, 1910. Serial No. 582,726.

part of this specification, and represent, i11- Figure` 1 a view in end elevation of a machine `for treatin milk, cream, etc., constructed in accor ance with my invention. Fig. 2 a broken view thereof in side elevation. Fig. 3 a broken view in vertical longitudinal section ofthe pressure-box of the machine. Fig. 4 a detached .view in side elevation of one of the fiber-breaking disks em.

'ployed in the pressure-box. Fig. 5 a reverse view thereof. Fig. 6 a sectional view showing three of the washers placed side by side.

Fig. 7 a broken sectional view on the line ab ofl Fig. 6, but drawn to a larger scale.

My invention relates to an improvement in thatclass. of machines designed to be employed in the preservative treatment or omogenizing of milk, cream, butter and other kindred substances the object bein t increasethe output and eiliciency ofsuciiI machines.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a milk homogenizing machine having certain details of construction and combinaf tions of parts as will be lhereinafter-described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invent-ionv as herein shown; the milk or cream, or whatever else is to be treated, is introduced into the machine through an' inlet pipe 2 from which itl their construction and arrangement may bev varied as desired, it'being only necessary to provide means for placing the milk orV cream, or whatever else'is to be treated, under a high degree of pressure-sa about four thousand pounds. The milk; or whatever 'else -is treated, is preferably heated to about 140o before its introduction into the inlet pipe 2. The storage c linders 4` are connected in series and deliver the milk under pressure through a port 8 intoa horizontally arranged pressure-box 9 formed .at its inner end with a ange 10 by means of which it is secured by bolts 11 to the main casing 12.

At its opposite end, the box 9 is externally threaded for the application of a heavy cap 13 having a hub 14 receiving a pressurescrew' 15. furnished with a hand-wheel 16 and a check-nut 17.

Within the box 9, I locate a brass plunger 18 provided at itsrespective ends with steelv followers 19 and 20 fitting tightly within the box. In the extreme inner end of the box 9 I locate a washer 21 and in the space between the same and the follower 20 aforesaid, I locate a number of globule-breaking disks 22 which constitute, as I may say, the leading feature of my present invention. As shown, I' employ Vtive of these disks, but the number may be varied as desired-the greater the number employed the greater will be the capacity .of the machine. They are preferably made of German silver, though I do not-limit myself to the use of such material. I have chosen to call them globulebreaking disks because their'function is'to break up all of the larger fat globules ofthe milk in suchA a way as to permanently commingle all of the constituents of the 'milk' as it were, and prevent their separation, -whei'e- Each disk is also formed upon the inner porsmall radial triangular grooves 24 the inner ends'of which open into the central opening 23 ofithe disk and the outer ends of which open into a circular series of' verysmall transverse holes 25 formed in the disk about midway between its central opening 23 and its peri hery. The outer portion of the opposite ace of the disk is formed with a cor-- responding series of small radial triangular grooves 26'leading from the opposite ends of the holes 25 to the periphery of the disk.

The outer edges of the several disks are yformed with radial fingers 27 spaced at equal distances apart and `separated by wide 'passages 28 through which the broken milk "tion of one Aface with a circular series of very l at 29 so that the milk may pass around the' disks for being discharged4 into the outlet pipe 30 which might be called the homogienized milk pipe.

The triangular grooves 24 and 26 are open on one side but they are relatively so arranged, as shown, that when the disks are placed face to face, the face of one disk closes the grooves ofzthe adjacent disk and so on. In this Way the disks complement each other except the end disks, the exposed grooves of which are closed by the adjacent face of the follower 20 and the adjacent face of the Washer 21.

The radial grooves ,24, the transverse holes 25 and the radial grooves 26 are all made smaller in size than the. size of the fat globules which it is desired to break up and incorporate with the milk serum so that it is impossible for the milk to pass through the said grooves and holes Without having its larger fat globules at least thoroughly broken up.l

The pressure lwithin the pressure-box 9 is regulated by the hand-wheel 16 which' is fturned in one way or the other as required to increase or decrease the tightness with which the disks 22 are held together. It is not practicable to start the machine at full pressure, but the pressure must be reached gradually. Preparatory to starting the machine, therefore, the hand-wheel 16 is op;

erated so as to largelyrelieve the pressure between the disks. Then after the machine has been started, the hand-wheel is operated so as to gradually squeeze the disks together until the obstruction of the disks to the free passage of the milk represents a total lpresof something like four thousand pounds.

I cla-imz- 1. A lobule-breaking disk for use in machines or, homogenizing milk, cream and kindred substances, the said disk having a central opening and formed upon the inner portion of one face with a circular series of radial'grooves the inner ends of which intersect its central opening, and upon the outer portion of its opposite face With a corresponding series' of grooves the outer ends of which intersect its periphery, and the said disk being also formed with a circular series of transverse holes uniting the adjacent ends of the complementary grooves.

2. A globule-breaking disk for use 1n machines for homogenizing milk, cream and kindred substances, theJ said dlsk having a cent-ral opening and formed upon the inner portion of one face with a circular series of transverse holes uniting the outer ends Iof the grooves of one series with the inner ends of the corresponding grooves of the other series.

3. A globule-breaking disk for use in machines for homogenizing milk, cream and .kindred substances, the said disk having a central opening and formed upon the inner portionfof one face witha circular series of radial grooves, and upon the outer portion of its opposite face with a corresponding series of radial grooves, and theouter ends of one series of grooves being connected with the inner ends of the complementary grooves of the other series by means of transverse holes through the disk, and each disk having V its edge formed with a series of lingers cut away'for clearance.

4:. In a machine for homogenizing milk,

c ream and kindred substances, the combination with a pressure-box, of a series of globule-breaking disks located therein, each disk having a central opening and formed upon the inner portion of one face with a series of radial grooves, and upon the outer portion of its opposite face with a corre- 9o sponding series of radial grooves and the l"outer ends of the inner series of grooves being connected with the inner ends of the, outer'series of grooves by means of-a circular series of transverse.holes.

5. In a machine forhomogenizng cream, milk and kindred substances, the. combination with a pressure-box, of a plunger -located therein, a pressure-screw for operating the said plunger, a hand-Wheel for operating the screw, and a series of globule-breaking disks located within the pressure-box and pressed together by the said plunger and pressure-screw, the said disks being formed' with .radially arranged channels passing from one side of each disk to theother side thereof and leading radially outward from the center of the disk to its periphery.

.In testimony whereof, I have signed this 110 specification in the presence of two subscribglobule-breaking 

